1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for producing a neat edge for lawns, borders, garden paths and the like. More particularly, but not exclusively, it relates to a device to demarcate and support an edge of a lawn, and to a method for using such a device.
2. Background Art
Creating a lawn with a neat edge where it meets flower beds, borders, paths, ponds and the like can be difficult. There is a risk that the edge of the lawn may crumble, especially if the turf is not very well knitted together. If a damaged edge is trimmed back to shape, for example with a spade or an edging tool, the lawn inevitably shrinks and the bed, path, etc. widens. Damaged sections may even need to be removed and re-turfed.
A particular problem may arise in the case of garden ponds, where the surrounding turf can easily be damaged or even undermined. Clods of soil falling into a pond can make the water unacceptably muddy, necessitating frequent cleaning. It is not always a satisfactory solution to pave the immediate surrounds of a pond.
It would be helpful to provide a barrier to discourage the spread of grass from the lawn into beds, borders and paths, particularly when regular weeding would be inconvenient or impracticable.
Simple lawn edging materials, such as vertically inserted ceramic tiles or metal strips, are well known. However, if the lawn is lower than the bed or vertical edge, mowing becomes difficult, and if only one side of the edging material is supported, such as where the lawn is higher than adjacent portions of a flower bed, or where the lawn borders on a pond, the edging material can easily fall over. It may be attached to posts, stakes and the like, extending deep into the ground, but these can be unsightly and are not compatible with waterproof membranes such as are used to line garden ponds.
Substantial graveled areas are becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to traditional grassed lawns. However, for graveled areas as well as grassed ones, a neat edge can be difficult to produce and maintain, particularly when the graveled area is higher than a neighboring area, and there is a risk of gravel falling or being kicked, say, into the neighboring area. There are hence problems with edging graveled areas akin to those with edging traditional grassed lawns, particularly when it is desired that a graveled area extends up to a pond. The term “lawn” as used herein should therefore be understood to refer to both traditional grassed lawns and to graveled garden areas, except where clearly restricted to one or the other by context.